Hello, Rocky Road
Mar. 8th, 2026 06:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ene_thingHello and welcome to ENE Thing! Just to warn you up front, I may complain alot. Life has been that way more than usual (for me). I never notice how good I have it until it gets worse (upbeat blogs, letters, and such to the contrary.)
Lately its gotten more obviously worse. You notice how bad our medical system is when a family member gets really sick. We can probably afford a little better and the folks are on on a better insurance than my sister and I can get. (If you can, sign up for the reserves when you are young enough to get the full benefit package! When we were the right age, "girls" were discouraged from doing that all around; they werent safe from their fellow soldiers. I hope its better now). Anyway, "better" is worse than it used to be, GPs dont seem to do even what seems like it should be easy, and specialists require appointments months out, even in what used to be considered an emergency, because emergencies are more common without adequate ongoing care.
And thats just the immediate medical concerns going on in the family. It runs on the forefront, being at the stage of impacting the whole family NOW. If I let myself go, I could rant on a whole lot more that is affecting my life and not just some distant strangers, from local and personal to international. I may in future posts. But I grew up with a couple mantras about complaining "rules" as they would call them on NCIS. There's no point in complaining about things you cant control (or even influence). Dont complain unless you can offer a better alternative. More recently its been, in different contexts, if you see something, say something. Because complaining to the right person can make a difference. (Its knowing who to tell, knowing when multiple voices complaining can help (or not) that's hard.
I dont have a solution to the disaster of a medical care system we have (a few years ago I tried to ask about antioxidents in food, not using that word, though, and the doctor told me she didnt deal with herbal medicine. This time with our Mom, I am left wondering if I was lucky to have talked to a doctor at all!) The face on the video phone talked like her medines could be juggled like dice! No comprehension she was talking to real people and not a lap top or tablet) BUT, I have found some things to help keep me calm between rants.
One is church. Our folks have a good sermon speaker, although he has other faults. I thought it might make mad but his message that, as sinners, we didnt deserve to have life always go right, combined nicely with the message that if we hold onto our faith through it all, it generally works out to our ultimate benefit even here on Earth, besides heaven waiting. Altogether, it calmed me down and eased my stress til the next crisis, and was ready in mind when I needed a reminder.
The other thing was volunteering. I volunteered for several things, none of them immediately, to support the National Quilt Project and have already made a couple squares, designed a couple others for showing to people as I encourage area craft groups, schools, and whoever else I think might be interested. Its a slow project, aiming to cover National Mall in 2030. Fun fiber arts with a theme of, much needed, healing. Look up Nationalquiltproject.org. no sewing required. Fabric paint or other fiber arts welcome.
Lately its gotten more obviously worse. You notice how bad our medical system is when a family member gets really sick. We can probably afford a little better and the folks are on on a better insurance than my sister and I can get. (If you can, sign up for the reserves when you are young enough to get the full benefit package! When we were the right age, "girls" were discouraged from doing that all around; they werent safe from their fellow soldiers. I hope its better now). Anyway, "better" is worse than it used to be, GPs dont seem to do even what seems like it should be easy, and specialists require appointments months out, even in what used to be considered an emergency, because emergencies are more common without adequate ongoing care.
And thats just the immediate medical concerns going on in the family. It runs on the forefront, being at the stage of impacting the whole family NOW. If I let myself go, I could rant on a whole lot more that is affecting my life and not just some distant strangers, from local and personal to international. I may in future posts. But I grew up with a couple mantras about complaining "rules" as they would call them on NCIS. There's no point in complaining about things you cant control (or even influence). Dont complain unless you can offer a better alternative. More recently its been, in different contexts, if you see something, say something. Because complaining to the right person can make a difference. (Its knowing who to tell, knowing when multiple voices complaining can help (or not) that's hard.
I dont have a solution to the disaster of a medical care system we have (a few years ago I tried to ask about antioxidents in food, not using that word, though, and the doctor told me she didnt deal with herbal medicine. This time with our Mom, I am left wondering if I was lucky to have talked to a doctor at all!) The face on the video phone talked like her medines could be juggled like dice! No comprehension she was talking to real people and not a lap top or tablet) BUT, I have found some things to help keep me calm between rants.
One is church. Our folks have a good sermon speaker, although he has other faults. I thought it might make mad but his message that, as sinners, we didnt deserve to have life always go right, combined nicely with the message that if we hold onto our faith through it all, it generally works out to our ultimate benefit even here on Earth, besides heaven waiting. Altogether, it calmed me down and eased my stress til the next crisis, and was ready in mind when I needed a reminder.
The other thing was volunteering. I volunteered for several things, none of them immediately, to support the National Quilt Project and have already made a couple squares, designed a couple others for showing to people as I encourage area craft groups, schools, and whoever else I think might be interested. Its a slow project, aiming to cover National Mall in 2030. Fun fiber arts with a theme of, much needed, healing. Look up Nationalquiltproject.org. no sewing required. Fabric paint or other fiber arts welcome.
